Importance of Different Reasons for Consulting the Family Physician With a Sore Throat in the Total Population and in the Subgroups of Patients Who Consider Antibiotics Very/Rather Important or Little/Not Important
| Total Population (n = 298) | Antibiotics Very/Rather Important (n = 106) | Antibiotics Little/Not Important (n = 176) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason for Visit | % | R | % | R | % | R | OR (95% CI) | P Value* |
| R = ranking order; OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; NA - not applicable. | ||||||||
| * Difference between the 2 subgroups (antibiotics very/rather important and little/not important); Pearson χ2 test with continuity correction. | ||||||||
| I want to be examined for the cause of my sore throat | 85.5 | 1 | 90.5 | 2 | 83.0 | 2 | 1.95 (0.91–4.18) | .117 |
| I want Dr to give me something for the pain | 84.5 | 2 | 97.1 | 1 | 81.8 | 3 | 7.56 (2.25–25.35) | <.001 |
| I want Dr to explain the likely course of my problem | 82.7 | 3 | 79.8 | 4 | 84.4 | 1 | 0.73 (0.39–1.37) | .417 |
| I want Dr to explain how serious my problem is | 76.4 | 4 | 79.0 | 5 | 75.0 | 5 | 1.26 (0.70–2.25) | .529 |
| I want to know how soon I will recover | 75.7 | 5 | 82.7 | 3 | 70.9 | 6 | 1.97 (1.08–3.59) | .038 |
| I want Dr to explain possible treatments | 73.2 | 6 | 69.5 | 6 | 75.4 | 4 | 0.74 (0.43–1.28) | .347 |
| I want Dr to talk with me about my sore throat | 57.5 | 7 | 61.5 | 7 | 55.7 | 7 | 1.27 (0.77–2.09) | .412 |
| I feel anxious and would like Dr’s help | 53.2 | 8 | 60.2 | 8 | 49.7 | 8 | 1.53 (0.93–2.51) | .117 |
| I want Dr to talk to me about my worries | 49.6 | 9 | 51.0 | 10 | 49.1 | 9 | 1.08 (0.66–1.75) | .865 |
| I want a note for sick leave for school or work | 39.9 | 10 | 53.5 | 9 | 31.0 | 10 | 2.56 (1.54–4.25) | <.001 |
| I want an antibiotic | 37.6 | 11 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| I want to be referred to a specialist | 21.2 | 12 | 30.0 | 11 | 16.6 | 11 | 2.16 (1.20–3.87) | .014 |
| I have problems and seek support | 18.4 | 13 | 27.2 | 12 | 13.4 | 12 | 2.42 (1.30–4.48) | .007 |